Vodafone confirms Liberty talks

SCOTT REID

Telecoms giant Vodafone yesterday confirmed it was in talks with cable firm Liberty Global following prolonged speculation about a full merger between the two groups.

But the UK mobile giant added that it was only in discussions about “a possible exchange of selected assets between the two companies”, stressing that the pair were not looking to form a combination of the two businesses.

There was renewed speculation about a tie-up last month, after John Malone – the US “King of Cable” and chairman of Liberty – said in an interview that the two firms would make a “great fit”, amid a convergence of mobile and fixed telephony services. Liberty owns Virgin Media in the UK.

Vodafone did not say which businesses were being discussed. “There is no certainty that any transaction will be agreed, nor is there certainty with respect to which assets will ultimately be involved,” the group noted.